With thanks in large part to a local neighborhood animal drive, we delivered 300 stuffed animals to New Life Church today. They will be sent to Texas this weekend on the "Caravan of Care," an effort involving more than 20 law enforcement and leadership agencies.

We saw first-hand the power of social media, as word of a local drive snowballed and within days we had a significant number of animals ready to send! Thanks to everyone for your great response and support!

We have all seen the events of Hurricane Harvey last week and the devastation caused by wind and water. Countless children have been displaced from their homes with their futures uncertain. The trauma these children have suffered can be eased by the gift of a stuffed animal. Studies have shown children can self-soothe by “caring” for a stuffed animal.

Snuggle Care will collect NEW stuffed animals (they must have the tags on) and distribute them to the Texas/Louisiana region. If you want to organize a stuffed animal drive with your organization, church or neighborhood, contact us at info@snugglecare.org. If you would like to directly send us a NEW animal (or as many as you choose), please send them to:​Snuggle Care, Inc. PMB 1935200 Dallas Hwy, Suite 200 Powder Springs, GA 30127​

On Friday, June 9th, I was thrilled to deliver 350 stuffed animals to Murphy-Harpst Children's Center in Cedartown, Georgia. This was the largest drive we conducted to date and wouldn't have been possible without the help of friends at McEachern United Methodist Church in Powder Springs, GA, New Season Church in Dallas, GA and new friends in Auburn, AL.

Thanks to all the members, Vacation Bible School participants, and Choir members that tied a service component to their activities to support Snuggle Care's mission.

This brings our total - so far - to 700 animals delivered to organizations that help children that have experienced some kind of trauma. But we are not finished!! Look for more drives and more deliveries!

Marietta Police Department received 100 stuffed animals yesterday courtesy of all the wonderful people who donated animals this Spring and Summer. The officers will take animals with them on calls that involve children. As the research shows, children that "care" for a stuffed animal immediately following some kind of traumatic event are more likely to recover faster. So, these animals will find new homes with children that might have experienced anything ranging from a car accident to domestic violence.

Another 100 Animals Delivered!This afternoon I was able to deliver 100 animals to Sgt. Clifton of the Dunwoody Police Department. They were happy to receive them. The police officers will distribute the stuffed animals to children that can benefit from the comfort a stuffed animal can bring.

I'm proud to have received the designation of "Outstanding Product" on my senior project that was the inspiration for Snuggle Care. Now that Senior Project is behind me, graduation is over and college orientation finished, I'm ready to pick up where I left off.

Snuggle Care was never going to be just a senior project to me - I intend to keep it going for a long time because the need is great! I've got another couple hundred animals ready to be delivered, and I'm working with some churches to do drives over the summer.

I've discovered that Kohl's department store has all-age appropriate (embroidered eyes and nose) animals for only $5 as part of their Kohl's Cares project. What a great way to help TWICE! Buy an animal and help Kohl's Cares with their kid's health and education focus and donate the animal to Snuggle Care!

Here is only a SAMPLE of the animals we've collected so far! Thanks to Kemp Elementary School, McEachern United Methodist Church choir, family and friends! These animals and more (150 total) will be delivered to a local children's home to be distributed this weekend to their residents. More drives are happening now at schools and churches and we look forward to passing along the comfort and blessing that these animals will bring.